Sunday, June 02, 2013

After a few weeks break, we are back to Anderson reporting from Istanbul, Turkey on November 27, 2006. If you missed our post of the 8pm ET hour of AC360, please click here. Today we pick up at the beginning of the 10pm ET hour.

Across the country and around the world, this is a special edition of ANDERSON COOPER 360, "When Faiths Collide: The Pope in Turkey". Reporting from Istanbul, here is Anderson Cooper.

ROBERTS: Well, East meets West again. We have reconnected with Anderson Cooper in Istanbul. Let's go back there now -- Anderson.ANDERSON COOPER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John, thanks very much. Technology is an amazing thing. We will have more of Pope Benedict's historic visit to Turkey ahead, and what it could mean for a country poised on the brink of two different destinies.

COOPER: And welcome back. We are live in Istanbul, Turkey, where it is very early in morning here. We are just a few hours away from the arrival of Pope Benedict XVI, his first visit to a Muslim country. Turkey, of course, 99 percent Muslim. We are joined by Reza Aslan, of the U.S.C. Center for Public Diplomacy, and the author of the book, "No god but God." Turkey is different in terms of the Islamic world. You know, there is so much focus on extremism in Islam. Turkey prides itself on its secularism?

COOPER: An extraordinary meeting took place in Tehran today, a meeting that might symbolize the Middle East shifting political landscape in the wake of the sectarian violence that has engulfed Iraq. CNN's Brian Todd reports.

COOPER: Well, joining me to discuss today's historic meeting is Michael Ware, who joins me now from Baghdad. And also we'll be joined by Reza Aslan in a moment. Michael, good evening to you. What so far has Iran's role been on the ground in Iraq?

COOPER: Dawn breaking here in Turkey. You are looking across the Bosphorus Straits at a mosque on the Asian side of Istanbul. This is a city literally divided between East and West. One side of the Bosphorus is Asia. This side that I'm on is in Europe. Istanbul, really like the rest of Turkey, struggles with this dual identity. Turkey is an overwhelmingly Muslim country -- 99 percent. It is pro-Western and officially secular, separating between religion and politics. Yet, a lot of Turks identify themselves by their religion first. One of the many examples of how Turkey tries to strike a balance between two worlds.

End of 360 bulletin with some Anderson and John Roberts banter ~And tragedy of tragedies, Pamela Anderson and Kid Rock have each filed for divorce from each other after less than four months of marriage. Both cited irreconcilable differences on the divorce papers filed in Los Angeles. The couple was married in several wedding ceremonies over the summer, including one in St. Tropez, France. No early word on which marriage ceremony they are filing for divorce from, Anderson, but I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest that maybe she's about to go back to Tommy Lee. What do you think?COOPER: Wow. Gosh, I don't know enough about it. But I thought those two crazy kids were going to make it. Well, John, thanks very much.

We'll have more from Turkey tomorrow night on 360, all the developments on the pope's arrival.

"LARRY KING" is coming up next.Thanks for watching. See you tomorrow, from Turkey.